Montreat Minute 8/2/24
Town Council Meeting August 8, at 6:00pm
The Montreat Town Council will meet for its monthly meeting next Thursday, August 8th, at 6:00pm in the Town Hall. Please note the change in time, as this is a permanent change from 7:00 to 6:00pm, with the Public Forum beginning at 5:30pm.
For a copy of the agenda, CLICK HERE. The meeting will be live streamed and recorded. For information about streaming the meeting, CLICK HERE. The Public Forum will begin at 5:30pm. Everyone is invited.
Help Light the Gate
The Town of Montreat, MRA, and the Montreat Adult Summer Club have joined together for a very special activity. The triumvirate is developing plans to light the Montreat gate for the holidays this year and in the future, just like it was in 2022.
But your help is needed by making a donation to help purchase the lights and other supplies needed to make this happen. Make your tax deductible check out to the Town of Montreat and note it is for Gate Lights. Send it to Town of Montreat, PO Box 423, Montreat, 28757.
Then, come to the Community Gate and Tree Lighting on November 17 for a special lighting celebration. Thank you for helping make the magic happen!
Meet Olivia Eades, Montreat Police Officer
We regularly profile a Montreat Town staff member or Town Council member. This month we are featuring our newest employee, Olivia Eades, Montreat Police Department.
Olivia with husband, Mason, and children Otto (L) and Ozzy (R)
Montreat’s newest permanent employee is Olivia Eades, an officer with the Montreat Police Department. A native of Black Mountain, Olivia is the third generation in Black Mountain, so she is very familiar with the area! After graduating from Owen High School, Olivia enrolled at Brevard College on a softball scholarship. She could have gone with a volleyball or basketball scholarship as well, as she was a three sport athlete at Owen. At Brevard, Olivia was a double major in Criminal Justice and Theology, with thoughts of working in either or both fields. As Olivia says, “there is a definite connection between the two.”
However, she chose law enforcement as her primary focus, working with the Biltmore Forest Police Department upon graduation. However, true to her heart for theology, Olivia began working part time for her Swannanoa church, One Focus Church, where she still works part time today.
Graduation from college brought some major events: a new job with Biltmore PD, marriage, and COVID! She and husband, Mason, were, as Olivia says, “high school sweethearts”. They married upon graduation, just as COVID was starting to run rampant. All the arrangements for their wedding were disappointingly cancelled. But, not allowing something like COVID to get in their way, Olivia and Mason eloped. A year later, as COVID began to settle down, they had a post-wedding celebration and vow renewal.
Olivia left the Biltmore police and began working with the Black Mountain Police Department. But her tenure wasn’t too long, because she had her daughter, Ozzy (now age 2), and left the force to take care of her daughter. However, her reputation as an excellent officer was established and was not lost on members of the Montreat Police Department. Late winter, former MPD Police Chief David Arrant contacted Olivia to recruit her to the Montreat PD. Fortunately for Montreat, she was interested. However, she had just given birth to their second child, son Otto (now 4 months), and needed several months for her family situation to settle in. She began work in Montreat in late May.
Despite her very busy life and schedule, Olivia has a variety of interests. Of course number one is her family. They spend much time outdoors but come inside for other activities like making their own bread and butter—and daughter Ozzy helps! Ozzy attends a Christian Montessori-type school, and Olivia home schools Ozzy as part of the school regimen. They also hang out with extended family in the Black Mountain and Swannanoa areas. As if that is not enough, Olivia is also a professional photographer and shoots a few weddings and family gatherings during the year.
How does she like working at Montreat? “Working here is very rewarding and the transition is very desirable for me and my family,” Olivia stated. “The people appreciate you doing your job.” She also loves the beauty, wildlife and natural setting of Montreat. She hopes to strengthen the rapport between the community and herself as well as the entire MPD. “I love the different groups of people here in Montreat—citizens, students and conferees. I hope we can do things to get people together and get to know one another”, she said.
We are delighted that Olivia is part of the Montreat family. She works days, so take a minute to “flag her down”, introduce yourself, and welcome her to Montreat.
Where’s Monte This Week?
Congratulations to Cathie Dodson who correctly identified Monte sitting on a slide at the Robert Lake Park playground. Cathie won a gift card to the Huckleberry!
Monte had quite the week in Montreat. He couldn’t believe all the fun things to do in Robert Lake Park. He even tried out the Climbing Wall!!
He was a Special Guest at the Montreat Adult Summer Club Picnic and helped Walter Somerville with his talk on GUINEAS!
After all his wandering, Monte decided to head somewhere to cool off. Can you identify where Monte stopped from the photo below?
Send your guess to [email protected] by Monday at noon to win a prize! First correct answer will win!
Where’s Monte this week?
Updates and Other Reminders
- You no doubt saw or heard about damage to the Montreat Gate due to an automobile collision. MRA reports that damage was not significant and was completely repaired earlier this week. Such an incident is a very real reminder of the vulnerability of our gate and the importance of slowing down when passing through and using the by-pass with oversize vehicles and equipment.
- Montreat Landcare Committee will meet on Wednesday, August 7th, at 9:00am, in the Town Hall Community Room. The meeting will be live streamed. For more information on the meeting and streaming instructions, CLICK HERE.
- Do you receive your own copy of the Montreat Minute or know someone who doesn’t? Sign up for the Sunshine List to receive the Montreat Minute and stay “in the know” about the Town’s happenings. CLICK HERE to sign up for the list!
Questions or Comments?
Do you have Town-related questions or comments to offer? If so, please send them to Angela Murphy at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Have a great weekend!